


our love, inevitable

by H0locene



Series: it is this possibility of you [3]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, Family Bonding, Sibling Bonding, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, cloudkid bonding, domestic sapphics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:34:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27934711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/H0locene/pseuds/H0locene
Summary: Kya returns to Republic City, and Lin, after a year away.Set a year after it isn't lust; it's all the rest.Title taken from poem for my love, by June Jordan.
Relationships: Bumi II & Kya II (Avatar), Kya II & Tenzin (Avatar), Lin Beifong/Kya II
Series: it is this possibility of you [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2012233
Comments: 52
Kudos: 186





	1. twelve years of wanting

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter title taken from Want, by Joan Larkin.
> 
> Thank you so much to Linguini for beta reading!

It’s been a long year since Kya last saw Lin. She remembers their kiss goodbye, in her room on the island, away from prying eyes. It had been soft and full of promise. She hadn’t wanted it to end, hadn’t wanted to leave, and that had surprised her. She’s very familiar with a longing to leave; but never before has she felt the urge to stay.

As soon as she was alone on the ship, she cried.

It had been a year of letters, the occasional call, mundane in content but heavy in context. She heard  _ I miss you _ every time Lin’s voice caught. She meant  _ I love you _ every time she said goodbye.

If she’s being honest with herself, these feelings scare the shit out of her. She’s fallen in love before, in a way that is passionate and strong and over in a matter of months. The way Kya loves is bright and loud, short and sweet--a firework.

But Kya’s love for Lin has burned low and slow for several decades; longer than she would ever care to admit. Kya’s love for Lin is like waiting for tea leaves to steep; watching the flavours slowly seep into the water and permeate every molecule until the two are perfectly intertwined. She hadn’t noticed the way it had crept up on her until she was drowning in it.

She’s never been one to shy away from her feelings, and she’s definitely not shying away from this. But she has been exercising a level of caution - Lin’s very skittish when it comes to emotion and Kya doesn’t want to overwhelm her. With each letter and each phone call, Lin’s been growing more comfortable with the subtle shift in their relationship. And with each passing week, the distance has become more unbearable to tolerate.

She’s been holding out as long as she thinks she can manage. Korra’s recovery has been a long and complex process, and they aren’t even close to there yet. The lack of frustration from the young Avatar, the resignation, is heartbreaking to watch, and Kya can’t even begin to imagine what Korra must feel. She feels a huge sense of guilt in having left at all, and she might not have done without Korra and Katara’s support. It’s with their blessing that she’s boarded the boat and headed north.

As the shore of Republic City grows larger on the horizon, a smile begins to grow on Kya’s face. She feels almost giddy with anticipation and excitement and nerves. It’s all she can do to keep herself on the boat; not to jump into the water and bend her way to the shore. The boat begins to pull into the harbour, and Kya’s eyes eagerly roam the crowd. She tries not to feel disappointed when she can’t see Lin’s face as the ship docks. She knows, rationally, of  _ course _ she knows that Lin probably got held up at work. So she shakes the disappointment off, collects her bags, and heads towards the trolley stop.

Except...

“Kya?”

Kya’s head immediately whips around.  _ Now? Of all times. _

“Kya! It  _ is _ you!”

Suddenly, Tenzin’s in front of her, stopping abruptly in front of her and hesitating awkwardly, in that way he always does when he wants to embrace his sister, but is far too worried about appearances in public. Kya rolls her eyes, drops her bags, and throws her arms around her younger brother.

“Hey, Tenny,” she replies, squeezing him tightly. He lifts her off the ground in that way he’s always done since he outgrew her, and she can’t help but smile.

“I didn’t know you were coming! Pema and the kids will be thrilled; Bumi just got ba-” he enthuses as he sets her down. Kya’s eyes grow wide.

“No, Tenzin- I- I’m not here for- I mean, yes  _ of course _ I want to see everyone, but-” Kya finds herself tripping over her words and casts her eyes to the trolley that’s approaching the station. Tenzin frowns.

“Do you have some business in the city?” he asks, confused. Kya blushes, shrugging.

“I don’t know if I’d phrase it like  _ that _ .”

“Oh,” Tenzin says. “ _ Oh! _ ”

Kya slaps his arm. “It’s not like that, it’s, she- I-” 

Tenzin’s expression turns from one of embarrassment to one of interest. “Kya, are you in a relationship?”

Kya shrugs, not really wanting to get into the conversation. “I gotta go catch the trolley. I’ll come by the island tomorrow.”

Tenzin nods, a small smirk on his face, and Kya all but flees.

“Bring her with you!” she hears over her shoulder, a chuckle in her pain-in-the-ass baby brother’s voice.

* * *

She’s just about to unlock the door to Lin’s flat when she hears someone coming up the stairs.

“Kya!”

The waterbender drops her bags and whips around. Lin’s face lights up, and she moves swiftly forwards. She reaches out and grabs Kya’s face, pulling her down for a kiss. It leaves Kya breathless; passionate and warm and gentle.

“Hi,” Kya breathes out when they part, smiling softly. Lin’s thumb strokes the apple of her cheek.

“It’s good to see you,” Lin replies, smiling gently. Her cheeks are pink and her expression light. Kya drinks in the sight of her eagerly, brushing her nose gently across Lin’s and watching the shy, almost goofy smile she receives in response.

”You too,” Kya presses a kiss to the corner of Lin’s mouth, smiling and pulling away as the younger woman leans forward to prolong the contact. She turns to open the door, and Lin’s arms drop. Kya can’t help but feel disappointed at the lack of touch.

“I’m sorry, I intended to meet you at the harbour,” Lin apologises, picking up Kya’s bags before the older woman has a chance to retrieve them. “But I’d feel awful taking the weekend off if I didn’t finish up my paperwork, so I just tried to-”

“You’re taking the weekend off?” Kya looks at Lin with wide eyes. Lin’s brow furrows.

“Of course,” she replies, as though it would make complete sense for Lin Beifong to be taking some personal time. “I haven’t seen you in a  _ year _ , Kya. I want to spend time with you.”

Kya’s heart stumbles at that. “Oh.”

That’s new.

Lin rolls her eyes fondly, striding to the kitchen and setting the kettle on. “Yeah,  _ oh _ , dumbass,” she teases. “I got some food in to make us dinner, because I figured you might not want to go out after the long journey, but I’m perfectly happy to head out to somewhere if you wanted to, maybe Kwong’s?”

Lin continues talking, but it’s all muffled to Kya, like she’s underwater. She can’t stop herself from drinking in the sight of Lin, shedding her armour and getting comfortable in her apartment. She’s finally here. There’s a lightness about her aura that Kya’s not seen since Su was born, and a relaxed, contented look on her face that makes her look decades younger.

“Kya? Did you hear a word I just said?” Kya blinks, and Lin’s in front of her, smirking fondly. She can’t pull her eyes away from the smirk. She’s been away for a year, and the fact that there is any space between them right now is criminal.

“Nope,” she confesses breathily, drawing Lin into a searing kiss. The younger woman lets out a low chuckle, and lets Kya tug her towards the bedroom.

* * *

Later, much later, they’re sat at the dining table, with the radio on low in the background. They’re quiet now, relaxing in each other’s presence as they eat.

“How long are you here?” Lin asks. Kya gives a tired, sad smile.

“A month,” she replies, almost regretfully. “Like I said in my letters, Korra’s come a long way, but she’s got a long way to go. And mom’s really not up to the kind of rehab she’s going to need.”

Lin nods, and her face is carefully blank. Kya reaches out to rest a hand on the younger woman’s arm and squeezes softly. She can’t apologise for the decision she’s made, and she knows that Lin won’t want her to. But it doesn’t mean she can’t wish things were different.

Lin starts talking about her week at work, complaining about her underlings and sounding almost proud when she describes the break Mako’s just made in his case. (Kya’s pretty sure the metalbender has a soft spot for the boy, but she knows she’d never admit it.) She takes a small moment to revel in the domesticity of it all. It’s not a new feeling; for the last almost twenty years, coming to Republic City to see Lin felt like coming home after a long time away, and she’s always loved the way they could pick back up again like no time has passed. It’s a welcome feeling each time she’s here.

“Hey, uh,” Kya says, as Lin stands to take their dishes to the sink. “I bumped into Ten when I came ashore. He, uh, he invited us to dinner tomorrow.”

Lin’s eyebrows rise in surprise. “He did?”

“Well,” Kya amends, blushing. “He invited my girlfriend and me. He doesn’t know that-”

“ _ Girlfriend _ , huh?” Lin shoots her a teasing smirk, and Kya huffs, feeling her cheeks warm.

“Shut  _ up _ ,” she replies, ducking away from Lin’s gaze. The younger woman turns and takes the dishes to the kitchen. Kya grabs the glasses and follows, nudging Lin away from the sink with her hip and setting the glasses down beside it. Lin dutifully picks up a tea towel, ready to dry what Kya’s washed.

“Dinner is fine,” Lin says softly after a short while. “Girlfriend is too.”

Kya doesn’t look up from the soapy water, but does smile to herself, feeling a warm tingle begin to spread through her body.


	2. endless permutations, subjected to love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Lin!”
> 
> Kya watches as Tenzin approaches the dock, a furrowed look on his face. “I thought we weren’t expecting you today.”
> 
> Lin shrugs. “Plans fell through.”
> 
> “Well,” Tenzin clears his throat. “We’re always happy to have you. It’s a shame your girlfriend couldn’t make it, Kya.”
> 
> Lin turns to Kya, an eyebrow raised. “Girlfriend, huh?”
> 
> Kya hums, smiling in return. “Yeah. I think you’d like her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to Linguini for being my beta and my sounding board!

They don’t make it to dinner on the island the next day. Lin’s soft, almost petulant declaration puts paid to that.

“I don’t want to share you.” She wraps her arms tightly around one of Kya’s as the waterbender moves to get out of bed.

And  _ spirits _ , if that doesn’t do things to Kya. She turns back to face her, heart stuttering and then roaring, like an engine turning over.

There’s a sleepiness in Lin’s eyes that only comes from lazing the day away in bed. An openness that Kya has seen from her so few times she could count the moments on one hand. A small, embarrassed smile tugging at her lips.

She can’t find it in herself to tease Lin, because she doesn’t want to ruin this moment. Instead, Kya leans down, cupping Lin’s face in her hand, her brow furrowed as it holds back the almost overwhelming weight of all the emotions swirling inside of her.

“ _ Lin _ ,” she breathes, her voice thick and throat tight.

The younger woman’s eyes widen, and Kya hears her breath catch softly. A look of wonder, of awe and maybe even disbelief, settles on Lin’s face. She reaches up and draws Kya’s face down for an achingly soft kiss that’s heavy with emotion.

There’s a dark, intense look in Lin’s gaze as they part, and she quietly murmurs, “Don’t go.”

And oh wow, is Kya on board with this whole Lin-being-vulnerable thing. The thing is, Lin knows what she’s doing. And Kya knows that Lin knows she knows.

But damn if it isn’t working. Lin can’t keep the slight smirk from her face as Kya’s eyes dazedly drop to her mouth.

Knowing she’s lost this round, Kya shakes her head and sinks back into her girlfriend.

They spend most of the weekend in bed.

* * *

The extra two hours Kya had convinced Lin to stay in bed had not been enough. She shakes her head at herself, wondering how exactly Lin Beifong has turned her into a lovestruck teen again, and tries to focus on the overly-complex rules Ikki is giving her to this game she and the other young airbenders are playing. Her niece pouts when she realises Kya’s not paying attention.

“Aunt Kya! You said you’d play with us,” she huffs petulantly.

“Oh, don’t mind her,” Bumi comes up behind her, slinging an arm over her shoulder. “She can’t help it. She’s in  _ lo-ove. _ ”

Kya scowls and shrugs his arm off. “Shut up, Bumi.”

Bumi makes a childish, high-pitched noise and sticks his tongue out at her, which draws a peal of laughter from Ikki.

“You go ahead,” her older brother tells her niece. “We’ll catch you up in a minute.”

As Ikki skips away, Bumi raises a knowing eyebrow at Kya, and she does  _ not _ like where this is going. He turns to lean on the wooden railing, staring out onto Yue Bay below, and Kya joins him slowly, feeling guarded.

“How was your weekend?” he asks, his voice teasing in a way that only a sibling can manage.

Kya blushes, but smiles shyly. “It was... good.”

“Must’ve been to have you daydreaming like that,” he elbows her in the side, and then softens. “I haven’t seen you this smitten since-“

“ _ Don’t _ ,” Kya groans, throwing up a hand to cover Bumi’s mouth. He bats it aside easily, snickering at her.

“If it’s all the same,” he continues, a fond smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye, “I’m pretty sure she’s just as gone.”

Kya looks at him questioningly. Surely he can’t-

“Thirty years ago, I never would’ve seen this coming,” he turns to look at Kya then, searching for something, and scratching at his beard. “But the more I think about it now, the more it fits.”

“What do you-”

“You’re good for each other,” he smiles warmly. “I haven’t seen Lin this happy since she was a kid.”

“How do y- did she tell you?” Kya stumbles over her words. She’s very sure she never mentioned it to him; didn’t even tell her mother the reason she was returning (although the gleam in Katara’s eye as Kya explained her reasons made her suspect her mother knew a lot more than she was letting on).

He chuckles. “You know we play pai sho?”

Kya blinks, and then frowns. Lin hadn’t mentioned this.

“We have a semi-regular game,” Bumi continues. “Been on and off for about ten years now? But more frequently since I retired from the Forces.”

Huh.  _ Lin _ and  _ Bumi  _ sharing frequent afternoons together; Lin bringing out Bumi’s calm and thoughtful side, Bumi cracking through Lin’s rock hard exterior- but that’s a thought for later. Because...

“She told you,” Kya murmurs, to herself more than to Bumi. There’s an indescribable feeling fluttering in her stomach as she considers this.

“It was more a kind of  _ ‘yeah, Kya and I write each other, don’t make it weird, _ ’ but we both know how she is,” Bumi chuckles, then looks at her and rolls his eyes. “Oh,  _ spirits _ , Kya, could you stop being soppy and gross for one minute?”

“Sorry,” Kya blinks, shaking her head. Her cheeks are red, but there’s a small smile playing at her mouth. “With the way she’s been acting, I figured she was serious, but it’s... she’s  _ Lin _ . And she  _ told _ you.”

She feels like she’s floating. After all this time, it hardly seems real. That Lin is  _ hers _ ; happy and open and vulnerable. That tonight, like the two previous nights, she’s going to sleep in Lin’s arms, surrounded by the smell of bergamot and sandalwood and the crisp air on a cold day.

Distantly, she hears the bell toll for lunch. 

“Tenzin doesn’t know, right?” Bumi asks, as they begin to head to the dining hall.

“Nope,” Kya pops the ‘p’ and smirks. “We’re going to have some fun tonight.”

Bumi’s still cackling as they enter the dining hall.

* * *

There’s a nervousness radiating from Lin - Kya didn’t need to read her aura to know that. She flashes her girlfriend a smile as she steps off the boat, receives a stiff nod in return.

“Aunt Lin!” Opal rushes past Kya to throw her arms around the metalbender, who returns the hug loosely and awkwardly, patting the young girl’s back.

“Hey kid. Good trip?” she asks. Opal starts recounting her and Jinora’s journey at a mile a minute, and Lin takes a brief moment to flash Kya a smile. A warm feeling spreads through her chest as she returns it.

“Lin!”

Kya watches as Tenzin approaches the dock, a furrowed look on his face. “I thought we weren’t expecting you today.”

Lin shrugs. “Plans fell through.”

“Well,” Tenzin clears his throat. “We’re always happy to have you. It’s a shame your girlfriend couldn’t make it, Kya.”

Lin turns to Kya, an eyebrow raised. “Girlfriend, huh?”

Kya hums, smiling in return. “Yeah. I think you’d like her.”

Kya hangs back as they walk. Tenzin and Lin are discussing political affairs, but Kya lets her hand brush gently at her girlfriend’s back, her fingertips drifting across Lin’s armour. The Chief doesn’t break stride, keeping up with her conversation, but her arm comes out, her wrist coming to her hip so that Kya’s hand makes contact with her skin as she draws it back towards herself. It’s quite an awkward gesture, and eyebrows would raise if someone had spotted the movement, but nobody’s paying attention. Kya lets her fingers wrap gently around Lin’s wrist for a moment before dropping back to her side.

It’s enough to make Lin’s shoulders drop slightly, and she walks with slightly less tension.

* * *

It’s Bumi who starts the disaster.

“Tell us about your girlfriend, Kya,” he looks across the table at her mischievously. He receives a kick to each shin for his trouble. Ikki groans loudly at this, and Pema shoots her a reproachful look.

“What? She was gross about it all morning, I don’t want the oogies over dinner!” the child replies petulantly. Kya’s cheeks burn and she quickly looks away from Lin, whose amused stare makes the back of her head tingle.

“Ikki,” Tenzin reprimands gently. The girl sighs, grumbling under her breath, and Tenzin turns back to his sister. “So, who is she? How did you meet?”

Kya’s mouth twitches as she shoots a sideways glance to Lin, who remains impassive.

“Well, uh, she’s an earthbender I met when I was younger. You know, I don’t actually remember how we met,” she shrugs. “We’ve been friends for so long now, and I guess things just naturally progressed.”

Bumi coos at her teasingly, but Tenzin’s expression turns soft as he smiles at her.

“Oh, how romantic!” Opal sighs, and Jinora nods in agreement.

“What’s she like?” Pema asks. Kya laughs, once again ignoring Lin’s gaze on the back of her neck.

“Well, what can I say, she’s an earthbender,” she shrugs. “She’s determined, stubborn as all Agni. She’s smart, and funny. Kind, and reliable,” Kya softens, smiling to herself and reaching for Lin’s hand under the table. “She’s always there when I need her. Takes care of me however she can.”

Lin is quiet beside her, squeezing her hand tightly. Kya squeezes back, knowing that she can’t relay all the emotion she’s feeling with a simple touch but attempting to all the same. Opal and Jinora share a soft look, sighing out an ‘aw,’ whilst Ikki and Meelo share a look of disgust. Bumi shoots a knowing look to Lin, who does her best to hold the stare evenly. She just about manages, although there is a faint pink hue to her cheeks. The metalbender clears her throat quietly.

“What is it that she does?” Lin asks suddenly. Kya’s eyebrows shoot up as she turns to look at Lin, whose eyes dance with amusement, clearly not above joining the teasing. Bumi raises a challenging eyebrow, and Tenzin turns to look at Kya interestedly. Taking a moment to have a bite of her food, she looks up and replies,

“Oh, she’s a public servant. Long hours, thankless job, but she makes the city a better place.”

Her older brother disguises a snicker as a sneeze, and Lin takes a drink to hide her smirk. Tenzin’s eyebrows furrow in confusion, but Kya just shoots him what she hopes is an innocent smile.

“Lin,” Pema says softly. Lin’s head turns towards Pema, tilting questioningly. “How are things for you in the dating department?”

There’s silence at the table. Lin’s eyebrows raise so high that Kya thinks for a moment they might join her hairline. A look of shock on Tenzin’s face, clearly wondering when his wife and his ex had gotten close enough to discuss things such as this. Bumi’s hands are clasped around the table and his knuckles are beginning to turn white. His jaw is set and his eyes sparkle, as though he is trying to hold back a guffaw. Opal leans forward interestedly, and Kya’s jaw drops open as she turns to look at her sister-in-law. And Pema smiles. Her eyes sparkle with a mischievous glint that sends a jolt down Kya’s spine.

_ She knows. _

“Well, uh,” Lin clears her throat. “Not too terribly.”

It looks like all she’s prepared to put forward, but Pema’s head tilts, and a calculating eyebrow lifts.

“Oh?” she asks interestedly. A shit-eating grin begins to appear on Bumi’s face.

“ _ Linny _ ,” he says, and the woman scowls. “Are you dating?”

“Yes,” she says shortly. Opal gasps, and her face lights up.

“Aunt Lin, you have to tell us more!” she enthuses, and Bumi nods, biting the inside of his cheek to reign in his grin.

“I really don’t,” she grumbles, and Tenzin nods.

“Of course you don’t, Lin-”

“Oh, but you  _ do, _ ” Kya nudges Lin’s foot with her own, beginning to smirk. They could really have some fun with this.

Lin lets out a long, disgruntled sigh. “Fine. I’m dating. Exclusively. We’re happy. Is that enough?”

There are coos and squeals that echo around the table, and Lin’s cheeks heat.

“You gotta give us more than that, Linny. Who  _ is _ this mysterious partner?”

“Yeah, what does he do?” Opal chimes in. Lin takes a long sip of her drink.

“ _ She _ works at the hospital,” she says after a moment. Tenzin’s eyes widen.

“Oh. I- I didn’t realise- you date women, now?”

Lin rolls her eyes. “I’m flexible,” is all she offers, and Kya snorts into her drink. Bumi’s laugh echoes around the room, as Tenzin turns bright red. Opal’s face screws up and she takes a long sip of water attempting to compose herself. Pema’s eyes are twinkling with amusement.

“Is it serious?” she asks, leaning forward interestedly. Lin looks down towards her plate and away from everyone’s burning gazes, chewing the inside of her cheek.

“I- I would like to think so,” she says quietly, almost a mumble. Her cheeks are bright red now, and she clears her throat. Kya’s cheeks burn too, and she has to clamp her teeth around her lip to keep the giddy smile threatening to burst from her mouth and give away the game. Bumi shoots her a teasing look all the same.

She reaches for Lin’s hand under the table, finds it waiting against her girlfriend’s thigh, palm up. Kya squeezes Lin’s hand tightly, hoping that she can convey everything she’s feeling in the small gesture. It seems to have been somewhat effective, as Lin relaxes almost imperceptibly beside her.

“How long have you been dating?” Tenzin tilts his head towards her.

The way Lin’s eyes dart towards Kya and back is like a reflex she’s trying to suppress. There’s uncertainty in her gaze, and a hint of panic, perhaps?

“A... certain period of time,” Lin gets out gruffly. Kya’s mouth twitches at the evasiveness as Bumi splutters into his drink and Pema raises an eyebrow. Opal tilts her head in confusion.

“What... does that mean?”

Lin flushes, and bristles. A sure sign she’s had enough of this. “It means mind your damn business.”

Opal immediately tenses, murmuring an apology, and Kya squeezes Lin’s hand, both reassuring and reproachful at once.

“I didn’t mean to pry,” her niece murmurs. Lin lets out a rough sigh, her grip on Kya’s hand tightening.

“It’s fine, kid, it’s just...” iIt takes her a long moment, sipping at her drink. “Complicated. Depends on how you define the boundaries.”

That’s an answer Kya’s not expecting. The ‘boundaries’ seem pretty clear to her, and she wonders what Lin’s thinking about.

“There’s a Lin Beifong answer if ever I heard one,” Bumi snorts, and Lin glares daggers at him. Most would be cowed by such a look, but it just makes Bumi laugh harder.

She looks tense. A muscle in her jaw twitches and her hand squeezes her spoon almost too tightly. Clearly, Tenzin’s reached the same conclusion as she has, as he speaks up gently.

“I think we’ve prodded Lin enough for one evening. Opal, Jinora. How were your travels?”

* * *

As dinner is cleared away, Kya slips out to the gardens, hoping that her quick glance at Lin will encourage her to follow.

Her lover joins her, a gentle touch to the elbow to alert her of her presence.

“You okay?” Kya asks immediately, her face drawn tight in concern. She’s worried that dinner perhaps pushed Lin a little too far. Lin shoots a furtive look around them, before letting her hand come to rest gently on Kya’s lower back. She leans into it instinctively, and Lin gazes at her softly.

“Dinner was...” Lin blows out a breath and her shoulders relax slightly. “Interesting.”

Kya chuckles quietly, shifting slightly so that her arm can press against Lin’s side in a way that wouldn’t look too suspicious from a distance.

“It’s okay if you’re not ready,” she ducks her head to meet Lin’s eyes. The metalbender stares back, and Kya’s not expecting the warm certainty she finds.

“I am. I just... don’t want to make it a big deal,” murmurs Lin. Kya leans in to press her temple to Lin’s, and the younger woman’s arm slips from its position on her lower back to hug her waist and pull Kya into her side. Kya sighs softly, resting her head against Lin’s and melting into her lover’s embrace.

“Then we won’t,” Kya says softly, twisting to press a kiss to Lin’s temple. The younger woman leans her head into the touch, a hum escaping her throat.

“How was your day?” Lin asks quietly. Kya smiles widely, a warmth blooming in the pit of her stomach.

“Good,” Kya replies, and begins to recount her day.

* * *

It’s when they leave at the same time that Kya sees the copper piece drop in Tenzin’s eyes.

Lin mindlessly holds out a hand behind Kya as she stands, taking both of their coats and holding it out to her.

“Oh,” Tenzin says, as Kya untucks her hair from her collar. “You’re going back to the city?”

Kya looks at him bemusedly. “Yeah,” she says simply. “I’m not here for long, and we won’t get to see each other often, so I want to spend as much time with her as possible. Don’t worry, Tenny,” she shoots him a teasing look. “I’ll be back to annoy you tomorrow.”

She finishes adjusting her coat, then turns to Lin. “You ready?”

Lin nods once, adjusting her own coat, and hesitates, before reaching for Kya’s hand. The waterbender smiles widely and allows Lin to tangle their fingers together loosely. She looks up to Tenzin, whose mouth is slowly falling open as his eyes flick between the pair.

“You- I- oh.”

“Wait, Aunt Lin is your girlfriend?” Ikki gasps. Opal and Jinora look up from their conversation, glancing between the two women.

“Oh my spirits,” exclaims Opal. Lin shrugs.

“Uh, well,” Tenzin clears his throat. “Congratulations. I’m glad you’re both happy. With... each other,” he says slowly, blinking as he attempts to process the revelation. “Yes, very glad,” he nods, trying to school his expression. Lin snorts and Kya bites back a smile.

“Thank you,” Kya’s reply is sincere.

“Pema,” Lin frowns at the acolyte. “How did you know?”

Tenzin’s jaw drops again. “You  _ knew? _ ”

Pema lets out a loud laugh at her husband’s reaction. “I suspected, yes,” Pema pats his cheek. “Lin was here far too early and far too late to have come in on the ferry on several occasions last year.”

Lin flushes lightly as Tenzin turns to look at her.

“You’ve been together a _year_?”

Lin shrugs, and Kya makes an ‘eh’ sound, shaking her hand from side to side.

“Somewhere between a couple of days and several years,” Lin smirks. “We’ve not settled that yet.”

Even Bumi looks shocked now. “You didn’t tell me  _ that _ ,” he stares at Lin and Kya accusingly.

“You told  _ Bumi? _ ”

Lin rolls her eyes, shrugging unapologetically. “Bumi’s a nosy bastard.”

A horn sounds faintly, and Kya tugs at Lin’s hand. “We should get going.”

They say their goodbyes and head out, the silence of the evening hanging pleasantly around them.

As they’re about to board the ship, Kya feels a tugging on her arm. She and Lin both stop to see that Tenzin has followed them out.

“I uh, I just wanted to say, I really am happy for you both,” he says quietly. He looks a little uncomfortable, still, and Kya’s sympathetic - it’s a lot to process for him.

“I know, Ten,” she smiles gently. “Thank you.”

Lin nods, the corner of her mouth tugging up into a small smile of her own.

He nods for a moment and looks out across the Bay, his eyebrows furrowing as though he’s searching for words.

“Take care of each other.”

Lin really does smile at that, and she gives Tenzin a (rather hard, judging by the way he winces) sock to the arm. Kya throws her arms around her little brother.

“Of course we will,” she murmurs into his shoulder. They part and the women board the boat. Tenzin raises an arm as the boat pulls away, and Kya looks back on him until she can no longer see the dock.

“Now it’s just your family and my mom,” Kya comments dryly. She’s expecting a laugh from Lin, but no noise comes. The waterbender turns to face her girlfriend, who is stock still and white as a sheet.

Kya’s sure they can hear her laugh from the island.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed, please consider leaving a comment :)
> 
> Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate <3

**Author's Note:**

> I was intending for this to be a one-shot, but it got away from me a little. Next chapter will be sickly sweet Kyalin, Cloudkid bonding and Tenzin-teasing.
> 
> Come say hi on tumblr! holoceneatla.tumblr.com


End file.
